Inhibition of Fasciola hepatica infection in Galba truncatula snails by application of monosaccharides to the aquatic environment

Abstract

Fasciola hepatica is one of the etiological agents of fasciolosis, a widespread disease in domestic animals and occasionally in humans. Fasciolosis may be reduced by blocking the parasite transmission through its intermediate hosts. In the present work, different monosaccharides have been tested for their ability to impact on ligand/receptor interactions at the interface between the parasite and the intermediate host. Laboratory snails were subjected to miracidia in the presence of methyl-α-D-mannopyranoside (MetMan), α-D-glucose (Glc), N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), D-(+)-galactose (Gal), N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) or L-(−)-fucose (Fuc), in 10 mM concentration. The snail survival rates and the prevalence of infection were determined after 50 days. Survived snails in the study groups varied from 78% to 97%. A remarkable reduction in the number of parasite-infected snails was observed in groups subjected to MetMan, Glc, or GlcNAc – 36.9%, 10.9%, and 11.9%, respectively, compared to 92.7% in the control group. Other tested monosaccharides had a low impact on snail infection. The results point to the implication that surface carbohydrate/receptor interactions are among the determining factors concerning the transmission of F. hepatica by the specific vector Galba truncatula. Biological recognition between the two organisms can be interfered with appropriate monosaccharides and this can be used to develop an alternative method for control of fasciolosis at the intermediate host level.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the National Science Fund of Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria in contract No DN 01/3-16.12.2016.

Compliance with ethical standards

Ethical approval

All animals used in the experiments were handled in compliance with the Animal Protection Act of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Bulgaria for the care and use of laboratory animals, and the study was approved by the local ethical committee.